Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start at Mercato Centrale in San Lorenzo: browse the ground-floor stalls and pick up an inexpensive breakfast, allowing about 45 minutes. Check opening hours before setting out, as they vary by day and season. From here, it’s roughly a 15-minute walk to the Galleria dell’Accademia. Give yourself around 1½ hours for Michelangelo’s David and the other sculpture; entry is paid, and booking ahead is wise to avoid a long queue. The gallery is typically open Tuesday–Sunday and closed Mondays, so check the schedule if your plans are flexible.
Walk about 10 minutes to Piazza del Duomo and spend 45 minutes taking in the cathedral complex from the square. Entry to the buildings is separate, and the climb or museum visits can add both time and cost—check current access rules and reserve where required. Continue on foot to Piazza della Signoria (around 10 minutes) for the outdoor sculptures and the Palazzo Vecchio façade; allow another 45 minutes to look around. Then stroll to Ponte Vecchio, crossing the Arno and pausing for river views—about 30 minutes is enough without rushing.
Cross into the Oltrarno for dinner at Trattoria La Casalinga in Santo Spirito. It’s a good place to settle in over traditional Tuscan cooking; budget roughly €20–30 per person and allow about 1½ hours. It can be busy, so check current hours and consider booking. The walk from Ponte Vecchio takes around 10 minutes.
Allow roughly 1.5 hours for the bus ride, plus time to reach the Florence departure point and get settled in Siena. After arriving, walk into the centre and spend about an hour at Piazza del Campo. The sloping, shell-shaped square is a good place to get your bearings; take time to notice the Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia around its edges.
From the square, it’s a short walk through Siena’s lanes to the Duomo di Siena. Give the cathedral around 1.5 hours for its marble façade, intricate floor and richly decorated interior. Admission is paid, and opening arrangements can vary, so check the official schedule and any booking requirements before you travel; allow extra time if you need to collect tickets or queue.
Head to Osteria Il Vinaio for a casual panino or light lunch—budget about €8–15 and around 45 minutes. Then walk northwest through the historic centre to Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico, allowing about 45 minutes to see its Gothic interior and religious art. Check the basilica’s visiting hours before setting out, as access may be affected by services. The listed stops make a comfortably full walking day; wear shoes suited to Siena’s slopes and cobbled streets.
After the morning train and station transfers, leave your bag at your accommodation or luggage storage near Lucca station; it’s just outside the walls. Begin on the Mura di Lucca, the broad, tree-lined ramparts. A full circuit takes about 1.5 hours on foot, with plenty of easy places to pause and look over the rooftops. If you’re short on time, walk a section rather than hiring a bike—the walls are level and pleasant on foot.
Walk into the centre to Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, an oval piazza that follows the outline of the Roman amphitheatre; allow about 45 minutes to explore its lanes and linger for a coffee. Then head to Trattoria da Leo for a relaxed Tuscan lunch—budget roughly €15–25 per person and allow an hour. In the afternoon, climb Torre Guinigi for the rooftop oaks and views across the city. Expect steep stairs and check current opening hours and admission before you go; allow about an hour, including time for the climb. With the station-to-centre walk and your train arrival in the mix, an early departure from Siena will make this sequence much more comfortable.
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